John Legend Believes Death Of Kanye West’s Mom Led To His “Devolution”

Grammy-winning artist John Legend opened up about the troubling transformation of longtime collaborator and friend Kanye West in a candid interview with The London Times published on Saturday (May 10).

Legend, who rose to prominence alongside West during the early 2000s, reflected on the stark contrast between the man he first met and the one who now frequently makes headlines for his controversial and inflammatory views.

“Kanye was very passionate, very gifted, and he had big dreams not only for himself but also for all the people around him,” said Legend in the interview. “He had so much optimism, so much creativity. It does feel sad, sometimes shocking, to see where he is now.”

Legend recalled the breakthrough moment when West’s debut album The College Dropout changed everything for their circle.

“Then The College Dropout sold 400,000 copies in its first week, everyone wanted to know what was happening in our camp, and all those people who turned me down suddenly decided that my music sounded a lot better than it did the first time round,” he said.

But despite the triumphs, Legend admits he never foresaw the dramatic behavioral changes that would follow.

“I didn’t see a hint of what we’re seeing now, his obsessions with antisemitism, anti-blackness, and it is sad to see his devolution,” Legend said, referencing the disturbing rhetoric and actions that have alienated West from much of the industry and the public.

Legend stopped short of offering a clinical diagnosis, but suggested that a pivotal life event may have sparked the shift.

“I don’t think we’re qualified to psychoanalyze him, but after his mother passed in 2007, there was definitely a difference. His descent started then and seems to have accelerated recently.”

The emotional weight of Donda West’s passing, combined with the pressures of fame, may have played a profound role in shaping Kanye’s current reality—a possibility that adds layers of tragedy to an already complex figure.